Factbook dossier
Background
North Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991 under the name of "Macedonia." Greece objected to the new country s name, insisting it implied territorial pretensions to the northern Greek province of Macedonia, and democratic backsliding for several years stalled North Macedonia's movement toward Euro-Atlantic integration. Immediately after Macedonia declared independence, Greece sought to block its efforts to gain UN membership if the name "Macedonia" was used. The country was eventually admitted to the UN in 1993 as "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia," and at the same time it agreed to UN-sponsored negotiations on the name dispute. In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, but the issue of the name remained unresolved amid ongoing negotiations. As an interim measure, the US and over 130 other nations recognized Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia. Ethnic Albanian grievances over perceived political and economic inequities escalated into an armed conflict in 2001 that eventually led to the internationally brokered Ohrid Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting and established guidelines for constitutional amendments and new laws that enhanced the rights of minorities. In 2018, the government adopted a new law on languages, which elevated the Albanian language to an official language at the national level and kept the Macedonian language as the sole official language in international relations, but ties between ethnic Macedonians and ethnic Albanians r…
Location
Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
Area
total : 25,713 sq km land: 25,433 sq km water: 280 sq km
Natural resources
low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land
Natural hazards
high seismic risks
Population
total: 2,137,556 (2025 est.) male: 1,065,634 female: 1,071,922
Ethnic groups
Macedonian 58.4%, Albanian 24.3%, Turkish 3.9%, Romani 2.5%, Serb 1.3%, other 2.3%, no ethnic affiliation data available 7.2% (2021 est.) note: data represent total resident population; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 6.5 13% of North Macedonia s population
Languages
Macedonian (official) 61.4%, Albanian (official) 24.3%, Turkish 3.4%, Romani 1.7%, other (includes Aromanian (Vlach) and Bosnian) 2%, unspecified 7.2% (2021 est.) major-language sample(s): Книга на Светски Факти, неопходен извор на основни информации. (Macedonian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent mother tongue; minority languages are co-official with Macedonian in municipalities where at least 20% of the population are speakers, with Albanian co-official in Tetovo, Brvenica, Vrapciste, and other municipalities, Turkish in Centar Zupa and Plasnica, Romani in Suto Orizari, Aromanian in Krusevo, Serbian in Cucer Sandevo
Religions
Orthodox 46.1%, Islam 32.2%, Christian 13.2%, Other 7.2%; less than 1%: atheist, Catholic, other religions, not specified, Protestant (2021 est.)
Environmental issues
air pollution from metallurgical plants, smoke from wood-burning stoves, and vehicle emissions
Government type
parliamentary republic
Capital
name: Skopje geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 21 26 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name is of Illyrian or Macedonian origin, and the meaning is unclear; derives from Scupi, its name during the Roman era
Executive branch
chief of state: President Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA (since 12 May 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Hristijan MICKOSKI (since 23 June 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Assembly by simple majority vote election/appointment process: president directly elected using a modified 2-round system; a candidate can only be elected in the first round with an absolute majority from all registered voters; in the second round, voter turnout must be at least 40% for the result to be valid; president elected for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the Assembly usually elects the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister most recent election date: 24 April and 8 May 2024 election results: 2024: Hristijan MICKOSKI elected prime minister; Assembly vote - 77 for, 22 against 2024: Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA elected president in the second round; percent of vote - Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA (VMRO-DPMNE) 69%, Stevo PENDAROVSKI (SDSM) 31% 2024: Talat XHAFERI elected caretaker prime minister; Assembly vote - 65 for (opposition boycott) 2022: Dimitar KOVACEVSKI elected prime minister; Assembly vote - NA expected date of next election: 2029
Legislative branch
legislature name: Assembly of the Republic (Sobranie) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 123 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 5/8/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Coalition "Your Macedonia" (led by VMRO-DPMNE) (58); Coalition "European Front" (led by the Democratic Union for Integration – DUI) (18); Coalition "For a European Future" (led by the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia – SDSM) (18); Coalition VLEN (14); ZNAM (Movement "I know": For our Macedonia) (6); The Left (Levica) (6) percentage of women in chamber: 39.2% expected date of next election: May 2028
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$43.844 billion (2024 est.) $42.668 billion (2023 est.) $41.801 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita
$24,500 (2024 est.) $23,300 (2023 est.) $22,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.5% (2024 est.) 9.4% (2023 est.) 14.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Exports - partners
Germany 39%, Serbia 8%, Bulgaria 6%, Greece 5%, Czechia 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Imports - partners
UK 12%, Germany 10%, Greece 9%, China 9%, Serbia 8% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Military and security forces
Army of the Republic of North Macedonia (ARSM or ARNM): joint force with air, ground, reserve, special operations, and support forces (2025) note: the Police of Macedonia maintain internal security, including migration and border enforcement, and report to the Ministry of the Interior
Military expenditures
2% of GDP (2025 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)